‘While not usually given over to rhapsodizing on the ineffable qualities of breakfast foods, it is hard not to find some room to do so when you actually discover the perfect take-away masterpiece of simplicity. To wit, the humble Bacon Roll.

When you think about it, this is ten different shades of spouting foolishness about a smoked, salt-laden, pork product shoved rather unceremoniously onto a rather indifferent roll of bread. How could one possibly get all in a dither about something so basic, banal, and well, not particularly good for you?

Stock – This year we were quite intentional about regularly making stock and using as the flavor base not only for soup, but also for rice, couscous and even to saute vegetables in a low fat way.

Tortilla soup with homemade tortilla chips – Soup became the staple of the year as we developed favorite flavor profiles.

Ribs – Ken perfected BBQ ribs this year with a savory rub and a long and low process of cooking.

Pizza – He also perfected both crust and topping combinations to the extent that it’s a rarity that we eat carry out pizza.

Salmon Chowder – This soup used both our kitchen made stock and utilized seafood which we had made a commitment to eat more of in 2009.

Roladen – A favorite, reminiscent of our days in Munich. Also one of the most Googled recipes of 2009.

Ice Cream Cake – The temperature on July 8, Madeleine’s birthday, was 104 degrees and thus we decided to have an ice cream cake for her. What a fun new way to celebrate. I’d like to try to make one.

Ox Tail Soup – Another of the most Googled recipes of 2009, however, it was probably one of my biggest culinary disappointments of the year. I had wanted to try ox tail for a very long time and when I came to find out that my maternal grandmother, one of my earliest cooking teachers, made it that desire increased. Well, the soup/stew wasn’t what I expected. Maybe I’ll try again in the new year.

Charlie Trotter – Eating at the Kitchen Table and meeting Charlie himself was an amazing way to celebrate Ken’s dissertation defense and inaugurate the final steps toward his PhD (which he received in May).

Meatballs – One of the funniest food episodes this year is when I made meatballs, and I kept making them, and making them, and rolling them, and preparing them, and making them… 442 in total.

Bok Choy – This was our new vegetable of the year. While I’d eaten it many times before, I had not ever cooked with it, but now it’s in the regular rotation of vegetable sides.

Looking to 2010 I’m hopeful to do more baking, to explore more vegetables and create new ways to eat them, and to eat at another world class restaurant (maybe in Spain, the UK, or Finland). I look forward to learning to make homemade sausage, finding a great paella recipe, and continuing to catalogue these recipes (and share them) via this Madison House Chef blog.

Having become a fan of the Japanese website J-List where we’ve ordered bento boxes and supplies we decided to try a few Japanese “snacks.” Our box came from Japan today and along with a new bento box for me, a set of chopsticks that match MELG’s cat bento, two sets of cooking chopsticks, and an assortment of furikake we received the Wasabi Doritos.

For quite some time that was the question. Paper or plastic? And we labored to determine which was the better choice. Paper could be recycled more easily or hold newspapers and then be recycled, plastic was lighter weight and could be reused as trash bags in small baskets or to carry something else at a later time, some were made out of a corn based product and thus would also decompose in the land fill. Ultimately, we requested a little of each depending upon how many newspapers were filling the recycle bin or how many plastic bags we had stored away.

At the same time, we traveled to Europe on multiple occasions and saw the fashionable and functional bags frequently carried by shoppers. I was smitten with this handy accessory.

About a year ago our local grocery, HEB, began to promote 'going green' by handing out free, cloth, reusable grocery bags that in theory hold 3 plastic bags worth of groceries. At the same time, HEB sold larger canvas bags for just a dollar or two. We purchased 2 large canvas bags and each received a small green cloth bag for a total of 4 bags. We added to those bags 2 other canvas bags that we keep on hand and which are perfect for groceries. We keep them in the car and have been using them ever since.

HOWEVER...

It seems that 'going green' has gone! Each time we come to the grocery we bring our bags with us and set them atop the groceries to be easily seen and used. Yet, on many occasions the bags are ignored and the groceries are bagged in plastic. "No plastic needed, thanks." I say politely. The bags are bright green and can't be missed! When the bags are noticed there is the invariable looking down the nose (are they extra trouble for the baggers, really?? Maybe I'm missing something) or worse yet a blank look -- 'what do we do with these?' Has the green era come and gone so quickly? Our family does recycle and we use our cloth bags, but I'm no zealot. I'd simply like to come to the grocery, hand over my bags, and have the bagger smile because they've used one less plastic or at the very least, just put the groceries in the bags without having to be encouraged.

A 1224 pound cupcake "took the cake" and won the Guinness World Record for largest cupcake. Not surprisingly, this tasty record was achieved in Michigan. It is reported to contain about 2 million calories. Delicious.

A number of years ago I checked out of the library the book In Tuscany, a cookbook, photo journal by Frances Mayes. I checked it out again...and again...and again. We moved, and I checked it out of the library in our new town...twice. Why, you ask? For the Ragu recipe! The dish instantly found it's way to the top ten list of favorite family foods (even GDG ate it).

FINALLY, I checked out the book one more time and actually took the time to write down the recipe. I place it here on my blog as a Madison House Chef recommendation and as a permanent home ... yes, so that I don't have to check the book out of the library again. LOL

Yesterday's FreeStyle Friday found us at the local art museum where GDG enjoyed a wall sculpture piece shaped like a bolt of lightning made out of green Tic Tacs. In and of itself that was a true find, however an even greater, delicious discovery was this: Do you know the maker of Tic Tac? The Ferrero company originally of Italy -- the creator of the most glorious, luscious, delicious, satiny, chocolate-hazelnut spread NUTELLA. My tastebuds fell deeply in love with Nutella on my first trip to Italy and was keenly renewed when KAG and I went together a few years later. I've always known that food and art complement each other!

It's not that often that we go out to dinner for Valentine's Day, but recently when having dinner at our favorite local Italian Ristorante (Ciao's) our favorite server Sarah handed us a red invitation that described a special Valentine dinner. As we drank our coffee we lingered over the invitation (OK, it really took less than 45 seconds for us to decide...) and decided to go ahead and make reservations for February 14.

Dinner began at 7 p.m. we arrived about 10 minutes to the hour and were greeted at the door by Angelo and Adela's daughter who led us to one of our favorite two-tops. The table was covered with crisp white linen and adorned with beautiful silver, and in addition to these usual table items, there was additional silver, a water glass a large red wine glass and a small champagne flute. Atop the white linen were tiny red hearts, gold cherubs and a tiny red candle that Sarah came over and lighted as she greeted us. At the far end of the dining room a tuxedo clad violinist serenaded the guests. Angelo came over to our table and gave me a long stem red rose. "Buona Sera. Welcome. Happy Valentine's Day."

Absolutely every course was prepared to perfection. Portion sizes were just right, and the selections of pasta, fish, beef and the rest complemented one another providing contrasts in taste, texture, color and visual appeal. The feast was a delight to the senses.

We enjoyedthe ambience, the delicious food, and most especially a lovely evening together.

(...& we left with two boxes of goodies for the "beautiful children." We didn't notice anyone else walking out with a box...)